Personalised book for a child who cannot sleep

What happens in your child and the Missing Sleep

1. Your child notices that sleep has not come yet.
2. A patient moth suggests there is no need to hunt for it.
3. Your child listens to the gentle sounds around the bedroom.
4. Your child tries slow breathing, cosy thoughts and resting still.
5. Sleep finds your child when the room has become quiet and calm.

How the first page could read

Sleep was late that evening. Your child lay tucked beneath the quilt, listening to the small sounds of the house: a tap settling, leaves brushing the glass, the soft hum beyond the door. “Perhaps,” said your child, “sleep has lost its way.” Then a quiet thought arrived: there was no need to chase it.

Your child’s name, look and little details replace these words, and the whole story is written for their age.

Why this story works

Some children are ready for bed but find that sleep takes a little longer to arrive. This story makes space for that moment without turning it into a problem to solve. Your child stays safely in their own bed and follows small, familiar ideas: noticing sounds, settling beneath the covers and letting thoughts pass slowly by. The language is gentle and unhurried, with a simple plot that does not add a big adventure before bed. For children aged 4–9, seeing themselves as the child who can wait quietly may make this a comforting story to share as part of a calm, ordinary bedtime routine.

Reading it together

• Read it slowly with a softer voice, leaving a small pause after each page for your child to notice the quiet around them.
• Ask your child which cosy waiting idea they would like to try in bed, then keep the answer simple and pressure-free.
• Use the same final pages for several evenings so the story becomes a familiar part of winding down.

Suggested art style: Storybook watercolour

Soft watercolour washes suit the hushed bedroom setting and keep the night scenes gentle rather than dark. A sidekick idea: Mallow, a small patient moth. You can pick any of the four styles and change the details in the form.